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and many of these supply three million gallons of water a day. 

 With regard to the utilization of the surface water, to take one 

 instance, it is computed that the waters of the Diamantina, 

 if arrested in time of flood, would, as in the case of the 

 Murrumbidgee, form a large inland sea capable of watering 

 many square miles of country ; and there are many other 

 rivers which could be utilized in a similar manner. 



Victoria. In the western district to the south of Wimmera 

 are miles and miles of rich undulating grassy plains which 

 feed millions of sheep. This is the chief sheep-grazing district 

 of Victoria, though in Wimmera itself and Mallee, and also in 

 the mountains of the north-east, there are grazing lands. 



The people of Victoria are beginning to manufacture their 

 wool for themselves. At Geelong, on the western shore of 

 Port Phillip, are nine factories which manufacture blankets, 

 and tweeds, and many other materials. 



The other states of Australia also graze sheep, and of these 

 Western Australia and South Australia have the largest 

 number. Tasmania, too, has over a million. 



New Zealand. All the islands of New Zealand are moun- 

 tainous, but nearly all the land is suitable for sheep, and they 

 seem to thrive equally well on the cold hill slopes and on the 

 warmer moister plains. New Zealand has no difficulties with 

 regard to climate ; it does not suffer from lack of rain, and, 

 in consequence, there are no breaks or unevennesses in the 

 fibres of wool, such as those which occur in the wool of sheep 

 bred in dry countries ; for when the unfortunate animals are 

 suffering from thirst or hunger they are in poor condition, 

 and their wool at that time is of poor quality too. 



In the South Island on the east of the mountains are the 

 famous Canterbury Plains. These are 130 miles long, and in 

 their broadest part 30 miles wide, and all these 2,000 square 

 miles or so of land are for the most part of a dead level, and of 

 great fertility. At one time they were covered with rich 

 grass and on them grazed millions of sheep. From here came 

 our ' Canterbury mutton ', but nowadays much of this land 



